With the exception of coal, natural gas is the least expensive and most abundantly available fuel in America today. The current cost of natural gas is about one-fifth that of diesel fuel for the same energy content. When low fuel cost is coupled with high electrical efficiency of the ARC930TA engine (about 40-42% compared to 32-35% common for diesel engines), comparative cost of operating the G1000 is reduced even further. Running continuously, G1000 consumes about $36 of natural gas per hour of operation. The same energy output from diesel gensets would cost roughly $200 per hour, or $4800 per day!

Maintenance Cost

Maintenance and overhaul cost are also significantly less for the G1000 than for comparable competitive products. Simplified fuel and intake systems, reduced friction surfaces, advanced filtration, and use of synthetic oil result in extended service intervals. Periodic maintenance requires replacement of only 30 gallons of oil and no coolant. Major service intervals—typically 700 hours for diesel gensets— are expected to reach over 5000 hours for the G1000.

Total operating cost of G1000—including maintenance, overhaul and fuel cost at the current rate―is calculated at approximately $0.06 per kilowatt-hour, compared with $0.15 - $0.18 for typical utility charges, and $0.29 - $0.34 for diesel generator sets.